Improvement in branding apparatus



f UNTTED STATES J. WESLEY DODGE, OF MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN IBRANDING- APPARATUS.

iS'pecijicatfion forming part of Letters Patent No. 89,829, dated May 4, 1869.

,' To all whom it may concern l Be it known that I, J. WESLEY DODGE, of

Malden, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have 4invented an Improved Branding Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the saine to be fully described inthe following specification, and represented in the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure l denotes a top view Fig. 2, aside elevation; Figs. 3 and 4, vertical sections of it, they being taken in planes at right angles with each other and through the center ol' the heater-chamber.

In such drawings, A denotes a boX provided with supporting-legs a a a, a cover, b, and a bail, c. This box is designed to receive and hold a heater, B, which usually consists of a block of cast-iron formed with a recess, d, in

its upper part, and having a bridge, e, extending across such recess.

Thebranding-types are to be xed or ap'- plied to, and are to project from one side of the said box, as shown at C in the drawings, or such side may constitute a type-holder made with one or more grooves dovetailed in cross-section, such groove or grooves beingto receive the types. Y

Furthermore, there is applied to the other side ot` the box, and so as to project through, an eye' or tubular projection, D, which is designed to receive a hooked rod or handle, E, formed as represented, which, when in the eye, serves to enable a person, by the power oi his right hand, to force the branding case or box, or the lettered side thereof, against a surface to be branded, such case being held in the meantime up to such surface by the other hand of the person having hold of the bail of the case or box.

Furthermore, the hooked rod E, when removed from 'the eye, serves another purpose, viz., to enable a person to remove the heater from the box, or introduce itthereinl when such heater may be in a heated state.

My apparatus, as described, is i designed especiallyk for branding the head of a barrel, when the barrel may be resting on the ground, so as to bring the head in an upright position. It may also be used to brand a horizontal surface.

A To use the apparatus, the heater should first be heatedto a red or scorching heat, af ter which it should be introduced into the box. vThe box is next to be brought up to the surface to be branded, and the branding projections should be placed in contact with such surface and pressed up against it by force applied to the hooked rod 0r handle. When the apparatus is not in a state for use, the handle or hooked rod may be runthrough theeye so as to tare the position as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. l.

The feet operate not only to support the box on a surface, but as insulators ot' it to prevent the too rapid abstraction of its heat by such surface.

My invention or apparatus is designed also to save the necessity of turning, head up, a

heavy hogshead or barrel when it may be desirous to brand it, and in this respect it is of great advantage to distillers, brewers, grocers,

and others.

I ain aware that an embossing-die has been chambered to receive a hot iron for the purpose of heating the die. I am also aware that smoothing-irons for ironing clothes'have been ,chambered and provided with heating-irons.

I therefore do not claim such in the abstract, nor the principle as applied to my branding apparatus.

What I claim -is- The arrangement and combination of the forked handle, the eye, and the bail, with a brander or brandin g-box provided with branding devices, and made to receive a heater, as

described. Y v

i J. WESLEY DODGE.

Witnesses.:

It. H; EDDY, F. P. HALE, Jr. 

